Everyone has a common interest in making places that are safe, prosperous and fair. The problem is we often struggle to work well together. Levels of trust are low and people feel disconnected from how the places where they live and work are managed and evolve.
Positive Space aims to set a new standard for public engagement across our business and ensure communities have a meaningful voice in future of their neighbourhoods.
Four principles set out how we engage with the people who play a critical part in day-to-day neighbourhood life: from residents, businesses and institutions to community organisations and amenity societies.
Our aim is to create a more Positive Space where the trade-offs involved in change are openly debated, more voices are heard and everyone works more productively together. Because ultimately that’s how to help places thrive.
We have tested these principles with more than 20 community representatives and practitioners. Many of them have also shared their perspective and experience as part of a series of Essays on Engagement.
And alongside our own commitments, we also make an ask of communities in return, and hope that both sets of commitments will strengthen further over time.
To help put Positive Space into practice we designed a training programme with 20 of the UK’s top experts on public engagement covering topics from active listening to accountability and influence.
We’ve now brought together their insights and tips in a guide called Positive Space in Practice. It’s practical and short, and grounded in the basic idea that communities are not a problem to be solved. Involving people leads to better outcomes and there’s a wealth of evidence to support this.
it’s why we’re investing in building the capability and confidence of our teams, and by sharing our learnings we hope to help and inspire others too.
Take a look here.
Below is a series of essays about public engagement written by activists, influencers and frontline workers to mark the launch of Grosvenor Britain & Ireland's community charter.
Why London needs closer bonds between landlords, residents and business if neighbourhoods are to change for the better.
Are you listening carefully? Its time to go back to basics on community engagement.
How we can address the power imbalance between communities and developers.
A social activist’s experience of being on the other side of the table
Stewardship is an idea whose time has come again. How policy could restore link between people and places.
Is it possible that community engagement could be fun?